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#FriendsWhoRead2020 Reading Challenge (original IG post)

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laura.a.bailey

Jun 30

Happy & You Know It is a fun and juicy page-turner

Happy & You Know It is a fun and juicy page-turner with some unexpected twists. There's a lot to appreciate about this story and I couldn't put it down!
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Struggling musician, Claire Martin, reluctantly accepts a gig playing for a playgroup of babies and toddlers. Unexpectedly, Claire actually likes the ultra-privileged moms and hanging with them brings color back to her life. But things take a dark turn as Claire begins to discover their secrets and betrayals, learning that these picture perfect Insta-Moms aren't as perfect as they lead on.
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The character development in this book had me absorbed. These NYC upper-crust moms are not the one-dimensional self-absorbed image-obsessed women you often see in the 'Peek Into the Lives of the Rich' trope. They are dynamic, complicated women with past identities who struggle with the various aspects of being a mom, from worrying constantly about developmental milestones, to second-guessing their choices to give up their careers.
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The plot is twisty and turny and reveals bits and surprises all the way through (although the biggest shocker comes near the end). And as juicy and unexpected as the plot is, it is also believable and well-developed. My only complaint is a few slightly unrealistic scenes (there's one salacious scene in a kitchen that seems to defy physics 😳😆).
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#happyandyouknowitbook #justfinishedreading #botm
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affiliate: https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9781984806239

26 7

Jun 23

Dear Edward is a realistic look at a 12-year-old b

Dear Edward is a realistic look at a 12-year-old boy’s recovery as the sole survivor of a horrific airplane crash was both sobering and uplifting. The reader also gets to know the other airplane passengers’ backstories and hopes for the future in a heartbreaking hour-by-hour account of the plane ride.
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The book took me a bit longer than usual to finish. I very much enjoyed the story, but it was slow. I didn’t find myself losing track of time or avoiding housework in order to keep reading. The story is moving, but did not grip me.
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#justfinishedreading #whatshouldireadnext #summerreading #quarantinereads
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Bookshop affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9781984854780

31 3

Jun 19

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was such a delightfu

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was such a delightful feel-good story! I loved every minute of it.
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This is the story of Nina, an introverted bookstore worker who copes with her anxiety by strictly adhering to a schedule and by filling her social life with book clubs and trivia teams. She doesn’t have space in her life for a boyfriend, let alone and large extended family who she’s just found out about. This book is witty and sweet and lots of fun.
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#bookclubpick #quarantinereads #justfinishedreading
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My bookshop.org affiliate link for The Bookish Life of Nina Hill:
https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9780451491879

36 3

Jun 16

I really wanted to love All We Ever Wanted, but th

I really wanted to love All We Ever Wanted, but the book just didn’t do it for me.
. This book is about what happens when a bunch of teens make some bad choices and a degrading photo taken of a sophomore girl at a party gets passed around their elite private school. To make matters worse, the photo caption included a racist “joke” made by the son of some of the schools biggest donors - and the girl is from a single parent family that doesn’t have the financial means to fight back.
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I enjoyed the overall concept and the story has a lot of potential, but the lack of character development left it flat.
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#readingchallenge2020 #whatireadthismonth #junereads
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Bookshop.org affiliate link:
https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9780399178948

21 1

Jun 13

I have some catching up to do on my book posts. I’ve read a few I haven’t yet shared. But for now, I’m having If You Give a Pig a Party read to me. 💙
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#readaloudfamily #picturebooklove #summerreading #hammocklife

33 3

Jun 12

Hey there. Thought I’d do a Friday Introduction

Hey there. Thought I’d do a Friday Introduction post. (Are those still a thing?)
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I’m Laura. 👋 I like books, coffee, and a perfectly sunny 70° afternoon.
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I’ve been quiet for a couple weeks because I’ve been really trying to listen and learn so that I can #knowbetteranddobetter to be an anti-racist ally. I’m still doing that, but also feel ready to rejoin the Instagram community. So I’ll be posting regularly again.
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Well, maybe not regularly. I’m terrible about keeping a posting schedule. I’ll post when I feel like it. 😘
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I started a reading challenge at the beginning of the year. So I’ve mostly been posting about books and reading. It’s #friendswhoread2020 if you want to jump in.
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Oh. And if personality types and such are your thing, I am an enneagram 5, INTJ, Ravenclaw. 💙
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#meetthebookstagrammer #fridayintroduction

41 4

Jun 2

I haven’t said anything because every time I try

I haven’t said anything because every time I try to think of something to say it feels like it’s not quite right, not enough. And I’ll be honest, I’m afraid whatever I do say about my feelings - anger, heartbreak, fear - will come across as making it about me. Rather than spend my energy trying to find the right words, I’ve just been trying to focus on learning. If you have resources you love that you’d like to share, feel free to do so. 🖤
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Also, if you’re participating in #blackouttuesday, be sure you’re using that hashtag and not # blacklivesmatter. The last thing we want it so flood the BLM hashtag with a bunch of posts from white people on this day.

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May 29

I stayed up until midnight to finish A Good Neighb

I stayed up until midnight to finish A Good Neighborhood, which is saying a lot because I stick to a strict 9:30 bedtime and only on a rare occasion will stay up to 10:00 if I’m reading something really good. This book... I have so many feelings and thoughts about it, it’s hard to put it into a nice, concise Instagram caption. I don’t use this phrase, but I will here: A Good Neighborhood is a must read.
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A Good Neighborhood is about two very different families from very different backgrounds and with very different values and morals who become neighbors. Everything seems fine, if a little tense, until an ancient tree begins to die and the teenagers of the two families - one white and one half white/half black - begin to date. The hardest thing to swallow about this story is that it could very well be written about true events and in the world as it is today, those events would be appalling but not surprising.
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#agoodneighborhood #mustreadbooks #unputdownable #bookofthemonthclub
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https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9781250237279 (aff)

31 4

May 28

I was doing some bookshelf rearranging and realize

I was doing some bookshelf rearranging and realized I have a few really great books that have been made into movies that would have been appropriate recommendations for this month’s #FriendsWhoRead2020 prompt.
I should have shared this a month ago! But that’s alright. Each of these is wonderful to read anytime, not just when it aligns with a reading challenge. 😘
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Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Help by Kathryn Stockett #bookstack #summerreading #bookshelf

30 9

May 27

Another book being made into a movie for #FriendsW

Another book being made into a movie for #FriendsWhoRead2020 May prompt! The One and Only Ivan is such a powerful story and I’m so glad we picked this one. I openly cried several times while reading this with my kids and we’ve had so many wonderful and meaningful conversations since we finished the book. ♥️🦍🐘🐶
Warning - it has some pretty graphic descriptions of wild animals being captured.
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#theoneandonlyivan #mayreads #readaloud
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(aff) https://bookshop.org/a/7418/9780061992278

46 2

May 23

It’s a happy #bookmail day! I got each of these

It’s a happy #bookmail day! I got each of these gently pre-loved books from @thriftbooks, each under $5. Plus, two free books using my Reading Rewards points! 😍
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Use this referral link to get 15% off your first order:
https://www.thriftbooks.com/share/?code=WD%252bQZuWJPm%252bZgMWWUe6mKw%253d%253d
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#thriftbooks #bookhaul #secondhandbooks

31 3

May 22

I’m sorry to the librarians running hold pick-up

I’m sorry to the librarians running hold pick-ups out to cars in the rain. We really appreciate you and being able to replenish our stacks! 😘
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#quarantinereading #librarylove #stayhomeandreadbooks #fortwaynetogether

21 1

May 21

I finished The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble la

I finished The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble last night. I slowed way down in the last 100 pages because I just did not want this book to end. .
It’s a story about a group of women linked by a small reading group, their lives intertwining through normal, everyday relatable dramas. If you’re looking for something about motherhood and female bonds, I think you’ll like this book!
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#thereadinggroup #elizabethnoblebook #whatshouldireadnext #mayreads
. https://amzn.to/2VoSBhK (aff)

24 4

May 19

I got this surprise in the mail! I didn’t rememb

I got this surprise in the mail! I didn’t remember ordering it, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t order it. 😆 So I checked my Amazon history, and it’s not there. So... someone sent it to me and I don’t know who! (No note or anything.) An early birthday surprise, maybe? 🤷‍♀️ Whoever sent me this book, I want you to know I FEEL SO SEEN. 😅
Swipe for a couple of my favorite pages.
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I found the link in case you, too, are overthinking it. 😘
https://amzn.to/2ZnP5qb (affiliate)
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#amioverthinkingthis #booksmakegreatgifts

41 7

May 18

For #FriendsWhoRead2020’s May prompt, we are rea

For #FriendsWhoRead2020’s May prompt, we are reading a book that was made into a movie. I loved this prompt because I could tie it into my kids at-home learning and call letting them watch a movie schoolwork (after we read the book, of course 😘).
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Because of Winn Dixie is a sweet and emotional book that I would have enjoyed even without my kids. If you love dogs, you will especially love this book!
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#middlegradebooks #becauseofwinndixie #chapterbooksforkids #readaloudrevival
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https://amzn.to/2KpO5t3 (aff)

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May 8

I finished my Book Club’s pick: A Spark of Light

I finished my Book Club’s pick: A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult.
It was very good! I didn’t love the backward timeline at first, but when you get to the end you see why it is told that way.
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The story takes place over the course of one day in a women’s reproductive heath center that performs abortions. As the day goes from bad to worse due to a shooter who takes the people in the clinic hostage, we learn the stories of everyone involved and ultimately learn that, while laws are black and white, every woman’s situation is a unique shade of gray.
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No matter your stance on abortion, this is a good read. Picoult covers every perspective thoroughly and compassionately. And don’t skip the author’s note at the end!
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#bookclub #asparkoflight #justfinishedreading

28 1

May 7

I could have sworn I shared that we finished Ramon

I could have sworn I shared that we finished Ramona the Brave, but I guess not. My kids and I are making our way through the Ramona series and loving them all. Once we finish them all, we are doing to watch the Ramona & Beezus movie (which actually combines all the books’ plot points into one). Ramona the Brave is the one where Ramona is in first grade and gets herself in a few scary situations, including being chased by a dog when she decides to try waking a new route to school, fessing up to an act of vandalism committed out of frustration at being misunderstood, and finally having a room of her own. What are some other childhood favorites we should add to our list? #ramonathebrave #favoritechildrensbook #readaloudrevival #middlegradebooks

54 7

Apr 30

Starting a new book today and it begins with this

Starting a new book today and it begins with this quote. ✨
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#asparkoflight #bookclubpick #currentlyreading #mlkquotes

28 1

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